In A Distant Time
by Melrose Stormhaven
Summary: LokixMayura. Loki has decided to stay on Earth for Mayura. Will he be haunted forever of events that occured in a distant time? Loki tries to find out who was behind the attack on Mayura and...Mayura has a starring role in a play!
1. Prologue: Before, In A Distant Time

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Disclaimer: I don't own Mantantei Loki Ragnarok. It belongs to Sakura Kinoshita and company. Money is something I do not have, so forgive me. Don't sue!

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Free talk: My very first MLR fanfiction. Please be gentle. It Loki x Mayura, by the way. Please read and review. I need the encouragement and criticism. 

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In a Distant Time

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Prologue: Once, In a Distant Time

She came to him deep into the night.

She made no sound as she approached, but he sensed her presence. She was an eerie figure in the coal-black surroundings as she was dressed in pure white flowing robes trimmed with gold thread. Her ankle-length hair streamed behind her in a thick cascade of soft curls. A ball of golden light hovered in the air beside her, illuminating her way through the darkness and giving her beautiful, flawless face a soft glow. She skillfully treaded her way around the sharp rocks that littered the ground.

Finally, she stopped in front of him. They stared at each other silently, taking in each other's appearance. No doubt she noted his torn and soiled clothes and the numerous cuts and bruises on his body. Under the light, her eyes glowed red–giving them a fierce, yet a same time haunted look.

Gentle fingers touched his face, skimming lightly over bruised flesh. He opened his dry, chapped lips to speak, but she put her finger on his lips to silence him. Then, she leaned forward, and gently kissed him.

He kissed her back hungrily, roughly, drinking her taste greedily like a thirsty man would drink water. He wanted to embrace her, to pull her close and feel the warmth of her body, but his hands were bound firmly to a huge rock, like the rest of his body. When their lips parted, they were both panting for breath. He whispered in a hoarse voice, "You're late." 

It had been days since he last saw her, but he knew she would come. No matter what happened, she would always be there beside him.

She smiled a small sad smile. "I know."

"How did you get past the guards?" 

Her smiled widened into a grin, but he saw that it didn't reach her eyes. "I have my own mysterious ways."

"I see." He grinned at her.

She stroked her damp, golden brown hair. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I have been trampled upon by a herd of giants." His whole body ached from the blows and cuts the other gods had given him as they subdued him. Aside from that, he had a skull-splitting headache. It did not help that he was tied spread-eagled against a sharp rock. Every time he struggled against his bonds (_What was those things made up of, anyway_? he had wondered. They burned through his flesh and for some strange reason, felt oddly familiar), the sharp edges of the rock gouged his back.

"You'll recover soon enough."

He looked around. "Why am I here? What did I do this time?"

She gave him a sharp look. "Do you not remember?"

He wearily shook his head. "I remember I was in Baldur's funeral feast, drinking mead by the gallons." The thought of the late Baldur made him sad and angry at the same time. He and Baldur were often compared with each other, with Baldur being 'better' than he was. He was no friend of the White god, who was the son of his blood brother, but his sudden, tragic death saddened him. Killed by a mistletoe arrow loosed by his blind brother! A god like Baldur deserved better death than that.

"You were drinking, and then–"

"I got drunk and decided to insult the whole pantheon of gods," he cut in, suddenly remembering. He couldn't recall what words or insults he hurled, but he remembered their hostile glances, their angry mutterings, and the contempt in their faces. They blamed him for Baldur's death. They believed that while Hodur, Baldur's brother, loosened the arrow, _he_ was the one who guided it. He endured their malice for a while, but it came to a point that he had had enough.

"I was not even there when Baldur was killed," he said bitterly. He had been with her when that happened. "Am I to blame for every misfortune that happens in the Nine Worlds?" He struggled against his bonds. "Hypocrites! Curse them!"

"Well, you certainly did. I remember you called quite a few, including Heimdall and Freyr, _a pox-filled son of a whore_." An amused smile lit up her face.

A bitter bark of laughter escaped from his lips. "I'm surprised they had not immediately killed me, but then, it is forbidden to kill anyone in Aegir's hall. That is why I am tied here instead." He smiled at her. "Enough about me. How do you fare? Did they hurt you? I could not have borne that. They could hurt me, but not you."

She averted her gaze, avoiding his searching green eyes. "I am quite well. They have not harmed me. It is Angrboda that concerns me."

"Angrboda?" He raised one eyebrow in surprise. He had not thought his wife would be concerned about his mistress. Though her wife never uttered a word of complaint against his numerous affairs, he knew that inwardly, she cordially detested them. "What has happened?"

"I am sorry…but the other _Aesir_, they have kidnapped your three children by her." 

"**_What?_**" he choked out, a red haze of anger filling his vision. He cared little for his mistress, but his children were another matter. They were of his flesh and blood, and that was all there is to it. _Odin will pay dearly if he hurts any of them_. "Why? They have nothing to do with this!"

His wife did not answer. "Where have they taken them? How did you find out about this?" he demanded.

"I do not know where they have taken the children. Even if I were to ask, I doubt they would tell me. As for how I found out…Angrboda came to my hall and told me."

He blinked. "Angrboda came to your hall?" That was strange…and rather impertinent. He had made it clear to his giantess mistress that under no circumstances would she show herself to his wife. He didn't want her upsetting his wife, whom he loved very much, despite his infidelities. Besides, though Angrboda disliked his wife, his wife disliked Angrboda _more_ and for all her gentleness and patience, his wife had a temper even he would not dare cross. She tolerated his string of mistresses, so long as he did not bring them to her hall. 

His wife nodded. "Yes. She thought…I sto–I mean, she thought I knew where they had taken her children." Her eyes narrowed, and he could see she was offended that Angrboda would think she would steal her children.

"I see." A chilling thought occurred to him. "What about our sons, the twins, Vali and Nari? Have they taken them, too?" His twin sons by his wife, a mirror image of each other. They were miniature versions of him.

She looked straight into his eyes, running her fingers over his bonds, almost caressing them. "No," she said firmly, "they have not taken our sons." Then she took a deep breath. "Loki, I came here to tell you that you will be free on the morrow." 

Loki looked amused at the prospect of freedom. Forgiveness did not come as easily as that. "I will be? How did you–" he broke off as realization dawned to him. _I should have seen it in the beginning. She wouldn't have been able to come near me unless…_He stared at her, stunned. "Sigyn. You did not–you didn't–_Odin_–"

Sigyn took a step back from her husband, retreating into the shadows, a calm, determined look on her face. Loki knew that expression. _She has made up her mind; she will not change it, no matter what I say_.

Dismissing Loki's stricken gaze, Sigyn went on, "It is the Odin's judgment that you are to be exiled from Asgard. You shall be sent to Midgard, where you shall take the form of a young boy. Your powers will be limited as well. The gods that will release you on the morrow will tell you more of the other conditions of your exile."

__

Exile. For insulting his fellow gods, for telling the truth, he was to be banished from Asgard–from everything he valued and loved. "Are you to join me in my exile?" he wanted to know, his emerald eyes boring into hers.

To her credit, Sigyn did not look away. "No. Odin…has…decided that I will not go with you. He has given me…certain duties to perform...elsewhere." 

__

Elsewhere. "Odin is not one to be trusted. Sigyn, what have you _done_?" _Why do you wish to tear us further apart?_

Sigyn ignored his question. "This will probably be the last time we shall see each other. I will not be there to see you off." She turned her back to him. "Farewell, Loki." Leaving behind the ball of light, she walked into the darkness, never looking back.

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~T.B.C.~

Free talk, part 2: How did you find it? I'm sorry if it's a bit confusing. I'll try to explain a bit in the next chapters. And yes, you'll see more of your favorite MLR characters quite soon. I just wanted to show why and how Loki ended up in Midgard (or at least, what's Odin's pretext for sending him there). He must have done something serious that caused him to end up in Midgard. Do they seem OOC? Do tell.

This chapter takes part after Loki insults the gods in Baldur's funeral feast. I know there had to be a snake dripping venom all over Loki, but for the plot's sake, I just altered the outcome. 

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Aesir: That's the term for the gods. _As_ is for the males, _Asynjur_ for the females.

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Sigyn: Well, nothing much is known about Sigyn. I kinda imagined her as pretty and feminine, patient, understanding and faithful, not to mention strong-willed. She had to be. I mean, Loki's her husband, after all.

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The bonds: In case you didn't know, Loki's bonds are made up from the entrails of one of his sons by Sigyn. Loki had two sons by Sigyn. The gods turned one into a wolf who killed the other brother. 

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Baldur's death: I'll explain more in other chapters. ^__^ 


	2. Chapter I: Of Tolkien and White Lies

Disclaimer: I want to own MaLoki, but it already belongs to Sakura Kinoshita. Don't sue.

Free talk: Hello. waves hand This is the second chapter of the fanfiction. I hope you liked the last one.

Ehem…just some notes…I'm basing this fanfiction more on the anime than the manga and in this fanfic, Loki is still in his eight-year old form, although he could turn into the older Loki whenever he likes to.

Special thanks to: _Xenogenesis: Thanks…here's the update._

Lafine: Yup, yup. Although Loki gave them all their treasures, they still abuse him.

Cherie-chan: Thank you! Well…here's the continuation.

Hidden Panther: I love you too! (but not THAT way ). You like Sigyn? You'll see more of her soon.

Bibliomaniac: Thank you! Yes, I know the Sigyn storyline have been used a lot of times. I'm still thinking of how to twist it just a little bit…

Chapter I: Of Tolkien and White Lies

I no longer love her, that's certain, but perhaps I love her.   
Love lasts so short and forgetting takes so long.

But on nights like this I had her in my arms.   
My heart is not used to having lost her.

Although this may be the last pain that she causes me   
And these may be the last verses that I write her.

-**_Pablo Neruda_**, Poem Twenty: Twenty Poems of Love and Desperation

Loki's eyes snapped open, his breath coming out in rapid gasps, heart pounding.

That dream again, he thought as he realized he was in his room in the mansion, lying in his huge, king-sized, four-poster bed, staring at the dark red canopy. He could feel Ecchan, soft and fluffy, sleeping on his stomach. He was sure Fenrir would be here as well, probably sleeping at the foot of his bed.

How many times have I dreamed that dream before? Loki wondered as he relaxed, letting his breath assume its usual slow, steady rhythm, the tension slowly slipping away from him. He ran his fingers through his damp, maple brown hair. He glanced at the old, weathered grandfather clock. It was around two in the morning, far too early to wake up. _How many times shall I dream of you, Sigyn? How many times must I remember that day?_ He could still smell it, the dank odors of wet earth and stone…and Sigyn's scent.

"Daddy?" Fenrir's worried whine broke through Loki's reverie.

Sighing softly, Loki said, "Go back to sleep, Fenrir. It's all right. It was just a bad dream."

* * *

Mayura Daidouji stared at her middle-aged English teacher, a glassy look in her ruby eyes. Head propped up by one hand, she stifled a yawn and began to tap her foot against the hard, polished floor with slow, seemingly measured beats, the sound drowning out her teacher's lecture on the use of prepositions.

She shifted her gaze to the clock above the blackboard. _Fifteen more minutes before class ends_, Mayura thought with an impatient huff, her cheeks puffing in annoyance. English was her last subject for the day. After this, she'd be free to pursue her hobbies, which was, of course, solving mysteries. _Really, Kojikawa-sensei's taking so long…_

_I wonder what mystery I'll encounter today? _Mayura mused, then she frowned in consternation. There hadn't been any new mysteries for the past two weeks. It was rather…unusual. Everything was quiet and in their proper order. Glancing at the window, she almost wished a giant beanstalk would sprout out of the school grounds so that she'll have something mysterious to work on.

"–and before we end," Kojikawa-sensei was saying in a louder voice, trying to be heard over the chatter of Mayura's classmates, "I'd like to announce that will be a field trip a week from now–"

Mayura's head snapped up at the word 'field trip' just as an excited murmur rose from the class. Eyes wide and round with excitement, she thought, _Field trips are nice, and they could be fun!_ She listened to her professor with rapt attention.

"Our destination will be Gin-no-Taki, or in English, Golden falls. So everyone, please things you might need. Details will be posted in the bulletin board. Having said that, class is now dismissed." Kojikawa-sensei then collected his things, and left the room. As soon as he was gone, the class erupted into cheers and loud chattering.

"–Gin-no-Taki! I hear that place is beautiful, especially in autumn! All right!"

"–one of the most renowned waterfalls in Japan! I hear it's a four-level waterfall."

"–heard there's some kind of mystery there!" a girl remarked to her friend.

Mayura glanced swiftly at the girl. "Mystery? What mystery?" she demanded in an eager voice, taking a step closer to the startled girl. Her eyes glinted with excitement.

The girl took a cautious step back. "Well, I heard that in the bottom pool of the falls, sometimes people would see something like a chest of gold underneath the water. But if you dive and look for it, it's not there. They say the gold has some sort of guardian too!"

"Really?" Mayura's eyes sparkled as the words 'Mystery! Mystery' flashed before her eyes. Quickly donning swirly-eyed glasses, she exclaimed, "Wow! Fushigi Mystery!"

Behind her, a familiar male voice chuckled. "Mysteries again, Daidouji? I would have thought you'd have enough of that."

"Koutarou-kun!" She smiled at her blonde-haired classmate. "I haven't really gotten tired of it. I love mysteries, and I still do want to be a great detective."

"An admirable goal," Koutarou Kakinouchi said in a grave voice. Then he grinned. "So, do you still hang out with that tantei–what's his name–"

"Loki-kun? Hai!" Her smile faded at the thought of Loki. She felt her heart contract painfully. _It's been two weeks since Loki-kun disappeared and returned_. Somehow, she couldn't say if that was a good or bad thing. She hung her head, pink locks shifting as she did, concealing part of her face.

"Oi, Daidouji, are you all right?" Koutarou asked. Talkative, sunny Mayura had fallen silent, and there was a sad, far-away look in her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

Mayura lifted her head, turned, and smiled him. "Eh? Nothing's wrong, Koutarou-kun." She quickly stuffed her things into her bag. Waving cheerily, she said, "Ja, Koutarou-kun!"

* * *

"Gold? Under a waterfall?" Yamino Ryuusuke asked incredulously as he carefully poured more orange juice into Mayura's glass.

"Um. Isn't it mysterious?" Mayura asked between mouthfuls of sandwiches. She swallowed it down in one gulp then took a drink of juice. "Arigato, Yamino-kun. Anyway, people do see gold treasure! But it disappears when you dive and look for it."

"It certainly is mysterious," Yamino conceded with a thoughtful nod.

"So, what do you think, Loki-kun? Should we investigate this?" Mayura turned to Loki, who was sitting in his usual place, behind his massive desk, writing only gods-know-what.

Loki looked up and frowned. He wasn't really up to Mayura's mysteries. He had little sleep last night and now have a headache. "It's not really a mystery. The gold people see may be an illusion produced when sunlight hit certain rocks underwater. That's why it 'disappears' when someone looks for it underwater."

"Loki-kun! But isn't it just unusual?" Mayura protested. "Aren't you even interested? There could be real treasure there!" Her eyes sparkled then turned dreamy as she began to daydream. "If we found the treasure, we could be rich!" _I could buy everything I want_, Mayura thought with a wistful sigh. _I could buy that ghost-hunting kit I saw in one of Yamino-san's mail-order catalogs._

Loki looked at Mayura's dreamy state with a mixture of dismay and amusement. _Really, there she goes again. Mayura never changes_. Then he shifted her gaze to his son, and was mildly shocked to see that Yamino had the same look in his eyes. _No doubt thinking about all the gadgets he could order_, Loki mused. _As if the money we have isn't enough for it._

Fenrir padded over to Loki, jumped onto his lap, and settled there. The wolf-puppy glanced at his brother and Mayura. "Daddy, they're weird."

Ecchan, who hovered around Loki's head, bobbed up and down in agreement. "Hai, Loki-tama."

Finally, Mayura snapped off her daydream. "So, will you go, Loki-kun?" she asked eagerly.

"Go? Go where?" Loki asked in a disinterested voice as he gave Fenrir a belly rub.

"To Gin-no-Taki to investigate the mystery."

"I don't really think there's something mysterious about it. I'm sorry, Mayura, but I'm not going." He gently put down Fenrir and resumed his writing.

Mayura leapt to her feet. "Eeeeehhhh! Demo, Loki-kun, aren't you even interested?"

Loki didn't even look up. "No."

Mayura puffed her cheeks, irritated. "Hidoi! Well, fine, I'll investigate it myself." She drew herself to her full height and swept up her bag into her arms. "And if I find the treasure, maybe I'll be nice enough to give you some." Huffing, she headed for the door.

Yamino hurriedly opened the door for Mayura, but not before casting his father a reproachful look.

Mayura was nearly over the threshold when she abruptly stopped and glanced over her shoulder. "Loki-kun," she began, the cheerfulness in her voice gone.

"Yes?" Loki said, almost indifferently.

"Would you still be here when I come back from the field trip?"

Startled by her question, Loki's head almost snapped up. That was when he realized why Mayura wanted him to come. _She's still afraid I might leave_. Their eyes met, and Loki could see the fear and sadness in her eyes. There was a brief silence before Loki replied, almost gently, "Really, Mayura. Of course I'd still be here. Where else would I be?"

A smile flitted on Mayura's lips, and her face brightened. "Then I'll see you. Ja, Loki-kun!"

* * *

Hidden by thick clumps of bright autumn red leaves and dense branches, they listened and watched, dark, glittering eyes focused on the girl with pink-hair and the boy with maple-brown hair taking in the nearby mansion. When the girl left, so did they, ghosting through the air with silent black wings. Their master had to be told.

* * *

As soon as Mayura was gone, Yamino quietly shut the door and turned to his father. "Why didn't you want to go, Loki-sama?"

Not looking up from his writing, Loki sighed. "It involves _water_, Yamino-kun. You know how I hate water." _I'm a fire giant, and since time immemorial, fire and water do not get along with each other._

"But it is rather mysterious, don't you think, Loki-sama?"

An amused smile on his lips, Loki gave Yamino a sidelong glance. "You really want to go there, don't you, Yamino-kun? Is the possibility of gold treasure too much to resist?"

Yamino shook his head. "It isn't that, Loki-sama…it's just that…well, we haven't had any cases lately and…ah…I'm worried about Mayura-san."

Loki frowned. "Worried?"

"Well, you know how she always seem to attract," Yamino hesitated for a moment, searching for the right word, "well…trouble. And after what happened to her a few weeks ago…well…I though we should keep an eye on her."

Loki said nothing. He had not forgotten what happened weeks ago. It was constantly on his mind, alternating with his thoughts of…her. After a moment of silence, his face expressionless, he finally replied, "You worry too much, Yamino-kun. Mayura will be fine."

Yamino said nothing, studying his father's face. His father looked tired, and there were dark smudges in his eyes. "Is there something wrong, Loki-sama? You look tired."

_I dreamt of the night when the woman I loved betrayed me. What can possibly wrong with that?_ Loki shook his head. "Nothing, Yamino-kun. I just didn't sleep well last night, that's all."

* * *

The night before Mayura's school field trip, Loki received a visitor. "Good evening, Narukami-kun," Loki greeted when Yamino ushered him in. Then he was surprised when the bokken-totting god of thunder stomped towards him, waving the bokken threateningly, an angry look in his face.

"I talked to Daidouji this afternoon. I wanted to talk to you immediately, but I had a job. Why aren't you coming with Daidouji to the field trip?" he demanded, slamming his palms on Loki's desk.

"I wasn't interested," Loki answered calmly. "Why are you angry, Narukami-kun?"

Narugami took a deep breath. "I'm just worried about Daidouji," he replied. "You know how she is, always getting into trouble."

"You worry too much, Narukami-kun. Besides, why do I have to be there? You're going to the filed trip, anyway. Why don't you keep an eye on her, if you're so concerned."

"I have a job, so I can't go to the field trip. Besides," Narugami glared at Loki, then grinned, "you should be the one to keep an eye on her because you're her _boyfriend_, Loki."

Everything fell silent at Narugami's statement. Yamino froze in the act of putting down a cup of tea on Loki's desk. Loki continued to stare at Narugami.

After several seconds, Loki finally stood up. "I. Am. Not. Mayura's. Boyfriend."

Narugami's grin widened. "Yes, you are. After all, you stayed here because of her."

"I didn't–" Loki began to say, but then stopped. "Who else think I stayed because of her?" he asked Narugami, a strange expression in his green eyes.

Narugami chuckled. "_Everyone_ knows you stayed for Mayura, Loki, even Heimdall. For all we know, _Odin_ knows too." He stopped when saw the expression in Loki's eyes. "What's wrong, Loki?"

Loki just smiled at him. "Nothing, Narukami-kun. A thought just came to me."

* * *

"Let's go, Daidouji," Koutarou called out to Mayura, who stood outside, her back facing the bus. It was the day of the field trip, and the normally hyper Mayura was strangely listless. "We're leaving."

"Hai, Koutarou-kun," Mayura replied without enthusiasm. She had hoped Loki changed his mind, but apparently, he didn't. With a sad sigh, she turned towards the bus and boarded it.

T.B.C.

Free talk, part two: Ehem. So, how was it? And yes, this will be Loki x Mayura. I'm sorry if Loki acts so cold and unfeeling here. He's just in a bad mood. He'll redeem himself, I promise. I'm keeping much of his personal thoughts and feelings to himself. Loki's like that.

The poem: I really have no idea what possessed me to put that poem there. It's from **Pablo Neruda**, translated by Jodey Bateman. I got it from an Internet site a long, long time ago. Don't sue, please.

Tolkien, huh: In case you didn't know, much of Lord of the Rings was taken from German/Norse myths. Apologies to Tolkien/LOTR fans!

Field trips and Japanese school year: I'm not sure how people conduct field trips in Japan, but I'm told field trips could last for several days. But I am aware that Japanese school year starts at April…so I'm guessing that since Mayura just finished her summer vacation and was back in class by the time Loki decided to stay, it's probably autumn in Japan (in MaLoRa world). If I'm wrong, please tell me…but just please, ignore it.

Next chapter: Did Loki abandon Mayura? Will anything happen on the falls. Oh…and can anyone guess from what Norse myth the 'rumor' about the gold came from? XD


	3. Chapter II: Water, Water Everywhere

**Disclaimer:** Hindi ko po pag-aari ang Matantei Loki Ragnarok (I do not own Matantei Loki Ragnarok). Wala po akong pera, maawa kayo sa akin (I have no money, please have mercy on me). XD

**Free talk: Happy Birthday to ME and Naruto! **Ahhh...the second chapter. Well, it's been a while. You'll get the answer on what myth was the two earlier chapters were based on.

**Special thanks to: _LittleGreenWolf:_**_ Thanks, and here is the update! _

_**LokiGirl:** AHHH! It's you! faints Anyway, thanks. I'm not familiar with Stargate (I did watch the movie though. The guy who played MCGyver was there), but I do know about the Hobbit. Tolkien's very fond of Norse myths (Lord of the Rings practically screams of it). _

_**Fangboy:** Ahh...yes, but which dwarf story? XD Anyway, yes, poor Mayura, Poor Loki. _

_**Bibliomaniac:** Thanks. I like the poem, too. It's the most famous of Neruda's love poems. He's a favorite of mine. Warm? That's probably a good word to describe it. XD I don't think Mayura is aware yet...but Loki...hmmm...maybe, though he doesn't admit it to himself. And as for Loki coming to the rescue...that's a maybe, too. XD_

_**Agnes:** Hmmm...maybe I will make this a love 'polygon'! You don't like Kou-chan? He isn't so bad..._

_**Arysta:** Thank you! Neat, huh? Neat has never been associated with me (bleh. my room's a mess). Here is the next chapter._

_**Ryo Hoshi:** You're reading the Eddas? Coolness! I admire and worship the guy (Tolkien). To create a world like that was genius. I hear they offer a course in elvish language in Oxford–imagine that! Thanks for the review!_

_**Aoyama Rika:** Hai! Hai! We all love Narugami-kun! You'll love him here, I swear!_

_**Gelasia:** You got the Norse myth partially right! Wagner's 'gold' was based on this myth. You're a Power Rangers fan, too? I loved that series...but stopped watching after Kimberly left. I'm a Tommy x Kimberly fan! _

This one is for **Eri-chan**, fellow Matantei Loki Ragnarok fan and **Alien Okama**.

**Chapter II: Water, Water Everywhere**

The trip towards the falls took no more than three hours, most of which Mayura spent gazing melancholically out of the window. Her ruby eyes didn't appear to see the beautiful misty mountain scenery in its autumn colors of red, orange, and yellow, or if she did, she ignored it.

Finally, their bus arrived. Students, even Mayura, pressed their faces against the windows as the bus drove through the tree-lined road. The maple, plum, and ginkgo trees were huge and massive, reaching out to the blue sky with their thick branches. They stood like ancient giant sentinels, silent and ethereal against the light morning mist. "Beautiful," Mayura breathed, finally snapping off her daze. Her voice filled with awe.

The bus stopped in a wide clearing that also served as a parking lot for visitors. As the students filed out of their bus, more trees greeted them. The ground was covered with crisp, multicolored leaves, crackling sharply as the students stepped on them. Not far from them, a narrow cobbled stone pathway led into a small ancient Shinto shrine.

Squealing in delight, Mayura whirled around, her blue skirt flaring slightly, her locks spreading out like a huge pink fan. "What a pretty place!" A light, cool breeze blew past her, causing the colorful leaves from the trees to fall and scatter.

"All right, please fall in line!" the students' homeroom teacher, Uzumaki-sensei, said in a loud voice. The students quickly obeyed him and fell in line. "Before we go to the falls, we must first pay our respects to the _kami_ of the falls, so we'll stop by the shrine first.

As they walked under the tunnel of maple and plum trees, past the traditional curved gateway, the _torii_, then up the worn, grass-covered stone steps that led to the shrine, Koutarou turned to Mayura and asked, "You're a _miko_, aren't you? Do you know what _kami_ is enshrined here?"

"Eh?" Mayura thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know."

Koutarou gave her a strange look. "How can you not know? Your father's a Shinto priest, isn't he? Moreover, you live in a shrine. You also love mysteries. Sometimes, I half-expect you to know all the Shinto pantheon of gods."

_But I don't believe in gods_, Mayura nearly said in reply, but instead, she glared at Koutarou. "Mou, Koutarou-kun!" She puffed her cheeks. "There are thousands of gods in Shinto. You can't memorize them all." _So many of them, and yet none of them could save Mama...I stopped believing in gods then...until..._

_He said he was a god_, Mayura said to herself, thinking of the young man with brown hair and green eyes that she met at the park, the one who said he was a god. She had been looking for the missing Loki when the young man appeared, offering help and comfort. As she was about to leave, he declared he was a god, and that he would grant her a wish.

_I'd laughed then, and told him I didn't believe in Kami-sama_. Yet, her head bowed in grief and desperation, Mayura wished and perhaps, just for that moment, believed. _I got my wish. Loki-kun did come back. Does that mean that guy was a god?_ She's never seen the young man again after that, so there was no way she could know for sure.

"Oi, Daidouji, your mind's wandering again." Koutarou's teasing voice broke through Mayura's thoughts–that, and a sudden, prickling sensation at the nape of her neck.

"We're at the temple," Koutarou said. True enough, in front of them was the entrance to the shrine. Mayura looked about to see if the shrine's _kannushi_ was around so she could ask him about the treasure, but she couldn't see any trace of the priest.

Shrugging, she picked up a handful of joss sticks from a jar, leaving a coin as payment. She removed her shoes, entered the shrine's sanctuary, and performed the traditional ritual of clapping and bowing as means of paying respect to the kami. After she finished praying, she tossed another coin at the offering box. She turned to leave.

Then she found herself face to face with an old bald man with bushy white brows and a long, thick white beard, so long that it touched the polished floor.

Mayura gasped and took a step back. Blinking, she noted with relief that the old man was the kannushi, judging from his clothing of loose white robes.

The old man smiled at her. "I'm sorry, child. Did I frighten you?" He spoke in soothing tones. "Forgive me if I had."

Mayura shook her head and flashed an embarrassed smile. "I-Iie. I was just startled. I wasn't frightened or anything."

"Ah. You are one of the students to visit the falls, yes?" the priest asked.

"Hai!" Then Mayura remembered something. "Anou...can you tell me something about the treasure?"

The old man frowned, brows knitting together. "Treasure? Ah, you mean the gold that people see in the bottom of the falls." When Mayura nodded, the priest shook his head. "Don't try to get it, child. If you do, terrible things will happen to you."

"Terrible things?"

The priest gestured at the shrine. "This shrine was built to appease the spirit of the _kappa_ that lives in the falls. He is the owner of the gold. If you try to take it away, he will come after you. Sometimes, he also leaps out and drowns any unsuspecting person near the waterfall."

Mayura shivered. The priest smiled again, then fished something out his robe's sleeves. When he drew out his hand, he was holding a gold ring between his fingers. He then took Mayura's hand, and before Mayura could do anything, he slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit.

Mayura felt a strange jolt. "What–what–"

The priest let go of her hand, still smiling. "This ring will keep you safe from the _kappa_, Mayura-chan."

Mayura inspected the ring. It looked like an ordinary gold band. "Really?" she asked.

The old man nodded gravely. "Of course." Then he grinned and held out his hand, palm up. "That will be 200 yen, please."

"EHHHH?!? Unfair! Sneaky!"

Her purse lighter, she left the shrine to join her classmates. As she descended the stone steps, she looked back sharply. "How did he know my name?" But the shrine was empty again, with no trace of the priest. "Fushigi Mystery," she whispered to herself before running towards her classmates.

* * *

The path to the falls was, at first, steep and rocky, and then it would descent sharply, making it difficult to climb, but the awesome scenery made up for it. Trees and ferns clung to the sheer mountain walls, their bright leaves a sharp contrast to the black rocks. As they walked further, they could hear the falls' thundering grow louder and louder.

Mayura touched the ring on her finger, wondering if it really had any magical properties. She felt a brief jolt when she put it in, but maybe that was because the ring was so cold. Now, it was warm to touch.

"We're here!" one of her classmates shouted. Mayura looked up and turned to her right where the falls was. She let out a gasp of awe that was lost over the sound of falling water.

People also called Gin-no-Taki the 'Four-Step-Falls', because water did not fall from a single drop point. Water tumbled down from a high cliff, pooling on a step, then tumbled again to the next step. A wooden arch bridge over the final pool of water served as the observation deck. On the other shore was a small inn.

Mayura and her classmates rushed towards the bridge, gazing at the falls. Mayura giggled as she was sprayed with water. "It's so pretty!" she exclaimed. Sunlight poured from the skies and a tiny rainbow appeared over the final pool, just beside the waterfalls.

Oh, the treasure. Mayura leaned over and looked at the clear pool of water, looking for any signs of gold. There was none.

"Did you find your gold, Daidouji?" Koutarou asked, standing beside her.

Mayura shook her head. "Iie."

"Well, maybe it'll appear later. Come on, why don't we go to the inn and get something to eat."

* * *

"LOKI! I swear, after this, I will KILL you!"

"Really, Narukami-kun. This was your idea, wasn't it?"

"YES! I mean, NO! WHY do I have to be the one to wear !"

"The color looks good on you, Narukami-kun. And besides, haven't you done this before?"

"TEME! How dare you say that to ME! You're lucky you can shift-shape!"

"Compose yourself, Narukami-kun. The students are coming."

"Damn it! Why didn't I get shape-changing abilities, too?"

* * *

"Welcome," a young pretty woman dressed in a dark green kimono said. She stood by the store of the inn, head bowed.

Mayura stared at the woman and blinked. Mayura couldn't clearly see the woman's features as her long brown hair covered her face as she bowed, but she did seem to resemble someone she knew. She sounded like someone she knew, too.

"Daidouji, what are you doing?" Koutarou asked, giving her a strange look. "Let's go in."

"Eh?" She turned her gaze to Koutarou and smiled. "Sorry." Then, when they were past the woman, she whispered to him, "I thought she was familiar."

"Ohayou!" another familiar voice greeted. This time, there was no mistaking the owner of the voice. "Narugami-kun! What are you doing he–" Mayura paused and stared at Narugami. "What are you–why are you wearing _that_?" she demanded.

Vowing again to himself to kill Loki after this, Narugami fought hard not to blush. He lost the fight. His face was beet red. "Ah, Daidouji...you see...."

"You're a guy, Narugami-kun. Why are you wearing a girly wig and–"

"The owner only hires women...and...well...I really needed the job...."

"Oh." Mayura couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Nice legs," Koutarou remarked with a laugh, eyeing Narugami with a glint in his eyes.

Narugami resisted the urge to bash Koutarou in the head with his bokken. He saw Mayura edging away from him. _This is for Daidouji's safety. I'm doing this to protect her. I'm doing this for HONOR! Damn you, Loki! I will kill you!_ "I just hope no one else recognizes me." He shifted slightly. "So, what can I get you?"

* * *

It was late afternoon. It was time to go for Mayura and her classmates. Some lingered at the falls, taking pictures. Mayura was on the shore, throwing pebbles, gazing at the water. She had watched all day, but the gold hadn't appeared.

As her eyes scanned the water, a sudden glint caught her eyes. _What was that?_ she thought, walking closer until her feet was almost touching the water. _Is that the gold?_ She crouched down and peered at the water's surface. _There was the glint again_. She leaned forward.

A hairy claw suddenly shot out of the water, grabbed Mayura's arm, and pulled her into the water.

* * *

Narugami watched Mayura from the door of the now-empty inn, eyes alert. He jumped when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. "Damn! Loki, stop that!"

A full-grown male Loki grinned at him. Then, looking at Mayura tossing some pebbles into the water, he said in a serious voice, "Nothing happened. I don't feel any negative energy either."

"Yeah. Maybe I was being paranoid." Narugami sighed and turned around. "I'm tired. I'm going to change my clothes and–"

A sudden piercing scream and a loud splash stopped Narugami in his tracks. In a flash, he was running, his bokken on one hand. Loki was already near the shore, Lavaetain in hand, glowing with power.

**_"MAYURA!"_** Loki shouted as he ran. Something had grabbed Mayura and dragged her into the water. Even before the girl could scream, she went under.

When he reached the shore, with just the barest of pauses, he dived into the pool.

The pool was deep, the water shockingly cold. Loki fought the panic welling inside him and concentrated on looking for Mayura.

A flash of pink caught his eyes. Turning, he saw Mayura struggling with the grip of something hairy, then went limp. Shifting his position, he concentrated, aimed Lavaetain at the hairy claws, and released a jolt of power.

The jolt moved sluggishly in the water, but it had the desired effect. It hit the hands and it let go of Mayura. Moving rapidly, Loki grabbed Mayura before the claws could reclaim her. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. Loki then turned to the owner of the claws.

The claws' owner was a short creature that reminded Loki of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, though more hideous looking. It had a beak-like mouth, a clump of hair on its head topped by something shiny and hollow-looking. Loki pointed the crescent staff at the creature, let out another jolt that propelled them to the surface.

"Mayura!" Narugami shouted when he saw the pink head of hair break through the water. Beside her was Loki who was having a hard time treading through the pool. Narugami ran to them, then started when he saw something hairy trailing after them. "Watch out!" Then he hurled Mjornil at the creature, hitting it at the head. The creature growled and fell back, sinking into the water.

As soon as Loki reached shore, he checked Mayura's pulse, noting with relief that she was still alive, only unconscious. He laid her gently on the ground. Then he collapsed beside her, panting with exertion.

"What the hell was that?" Narugami demanded.

Loki took a deep breath, green eyes narrowing. He sensed something in the creature, but he didn't know what exactly he sensed, except that it wasn't good. "I don't know."

"Should we go after it?"

"No. I think it got the message. " He rose, then bent down to scoop Mayura into his arms, cradling her. "Let's take her to safety."

* * *

What happened? Mayura thought dimly. Why do I feel so...hazy? And why does it seem like I'm swaying? She also felt heavy and wet, like she had fallen–

Her eyes snapped open as she remembered. Something hairy had pulled her into the pool, and before she could do anything, she was being dragged deeper into the waters. _So much for the ring Kannushi-san gave me. It didn't protect me,_ she thought.

The swaying motion continued and she felt strong arms clamped around her. Suddenly afraid, she looked up slowly.

Mayura tried to gasp, but no sound came to her lips. The one holding her was the man she met at the park when Loki disappeared–the young man who claimed to be a god. _Did_ _he save me?_ she thought. She noticed that the young man was wet, too.

As if he sensed she was awake and looking at him, he glanced down at her. Mayura froze as he leaned closer, kissed her softly on the forehead, and told her to go to sleep.

Mayura opened her mouth to say something, but a strange languor overcame her. Her eyelids drooped shut, and soon, she was asleep.

* * *

"It seemed like you had a very interesting field trip, Mayura-san," Yamino remarked as he handed her a cup of tea. Mayura was in Loki's house the day after her field trip, telling them what had happened at the falls. She didn't tell them about the young man, though.

Mayura nodded. "I told you there was something mysterious there! It was interesting. Of course, Papa got mad because I got my clothes wet. I'm lucky I didn't catch cold and oh–" she stopped and turned to Loki, who was sitting on the couch, looking miserable and flushed. "I'm sorry Loki-kun. I forgot you have a cold. You're lucky you weren't at my field trip. You would have gotten wet."

Loki only sniffled in reply. Then he coughed. Then he sniffed again and blew his nose.

Mayura stared at Loki for a moment. Loki caught her gaze and was disturbed when Mayura looked away. The girl then stood up.

"Well, I should be going home! Ja, everyone." Then she went over to Loki, leaned over, and kissed him gently on his forehead. "Go to sleep early, Loki-kun. You need rest." She playfully ruffled his hair. "Get well soon, ne? We can't have the detective sick. It's no fun working without Loki-kun!" Waving at them, she left.

* * *

She stirred into wakefulness at the touch, warmth flooding her senses. She had been cold for so long, she had forgotten warmth. The darkness that surrounded her crept away, slowly but steadily giving way to light.

It was only a matter of time.

**T.B.C.**

**Free talk, part 2: **My longest chapter YET!I hope I didn't make Loki OOC here. I told you Loki would redeem himself! And yes, Bibliomaniac, make that maybe a HUGE 'YES!' He did come to the rescue, and got wet and a cold (gods can get sick, too, you know!) in the process as well. However, he did get a great reward, ne?

And oh, I'll leave to your imagination what Narugami was wearing. Let's just say it was short, and showed a lot of leg. Oh, did I get Loki's weapon's name right?

**Kappa:** Japanese water demon. Likes to drown people and play mischief. I hope I got the description right.

**Mayura:** I loved the part near the end of the anime when she declared she didn't believe in god, but wished anyway. That was a big leap of faith for Mayura, I think. I don't think Mayura's ditzy. She's just impulsive and hyper, but when she sits to think, she's a smart girl.

**Shinto (Way of the Gods):** Shinto's kind of a weird religion (at least for me). A _kannushi_ is a Shinto priest, by the way. There was an estimated 8 million _kami_ in the Shinto pantheon. Whoa.

**Narugami and his bokken:** I'm assuming Thor's bokken can do the same thing as mythical Mjornil. He can call it back, so no problem hurling it at anyone.

**Loki, shape-changing, and water:** Loki has the ability to shift-shape. Remember, he more or less have recovered his powers after Hel went back to...um, her hall...not really sure if Hel died. In the manga, she didn't...but in the anime... Yes, Loki does not like water. That's why he didn't swim in the lake in the series.

**The falls:** The falls Mayura and her class saw is based on an actual falls in Japan, **_Fukuroda no Taki_**. As far as I've researched, it is one of the three celebrated falls in Japan. I've taken the liberty of um...borrowing some descriptions of the falls from the Internet so again, please don't sue me! By the way, Gin-no-Taki means, literally, '(Water) Fall(s) of Gold', I think. Heh. My Japanese sucks.

**Next chapter: **Who was the one who stirred into wakefulness? Heimdall is back...and with a plan! Can you say...apples? Freyr joins the fun, too!

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter III: Of Rings and Dwarves

**Disclaimer:** Ehem. I do not own Matantei Loki Ragnarok. Loki-kuuuuuuun! Bleh.

**Free talk: **Ahhh…It's been a while. Alas, I suffer from the disease called 'procrastination'. Enjoy this chapter!

**Special thanks to: _LittleGreenWolf: _**_Yes, poor, poor fire god. He caught a cold. Well, you know how Loki can be sometimes. Anything for Mayura. XD_

_**Bibliomaniac:** You'll find out who woke in this chapter. Comedy? You might say that. Freyr is fun. And yes, something was definitely fishy. The ring has significance, one I'll explain later. Much later. XD_

_**Earth Star:** That makes two of us. I'm so confused about Hel. I loved Miko, by the way. XD_

_**Rubydream:** The kappa was chasing Mayura because…hehehe…I'll explain later in this chapter. _

_**Lokigirl:** Yes, a bit romantic, I guess; though, if you'd ask Loki he'd deny it. And about Mayura putting pieces together…let's just say the girl isn't dumb, but being Mayura… _

_**Aoyama Rika:** No problem! About the apples and all, you'll find out more this chapter._

_**Ytak:** Well, Loki does know about the kappa being a 'kappa'. He said, 'I don't know' more as a response to the situation they were in rather than the kappa's identity. _

_**Ryo Hoshi:** Thank you. For some strange reason, the image of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes to mind when I think of kappas. And about that kappa, let's just say the kappa wasn't 'itself'._

_**Tangerine-asuka:** Did I ever tell you that I love your fics:grin: Anyway, here's more Mayura x Loki goodness, with a dash of Freyr and a pinch of Heimdall. XD And I'm a big fan of Gravitation, too! Shu-chan!_

_**Kaeru Soyokaze:** Thank you very much! Yes, Freya and Reiya will appear…next chapter! And yes, poor Reiya-chan! But she's really cute at times! I know people who dislike Freya and Reiya, though. Wonder why?_

_**XYX:** Yes, I'm Filipino! No, I haven't fully read the manga. XD But I have watched the series! Thank you!_

_**LadyPillsbury:** Thank you! I deliberately tried to get the anime feel. I'm glad you noticed! Pinoy ka rin! ASTIG!_

This chapter is for **Wicked** and **Bookworm**.

**Chapter III: Of Rings and Dwarves**

_Love works a different way in different minds, the fool it enlightens and the wise it blinds.  
- **John Dryden** (1631-1700)_

Heimdall was not having a good day. First, Freyr had managed to fill their house of all sorts of stuff that he had brought from bargain sales, nearly taking over all the space in the house, leaving little room for Heimdall. Cartons of milk, stacks of rugs, rolls of tissue paper, even a bushel of corn, and other whatnots filled rooms. Right now, Freyr was out shopping, _again_. Freyr had tried to drag Heimdall along, but somehow, Heimdall managed not to go with Freyr.

Second, the place where his right eye should be was hurting again. _Damn Loki_, he cursed to himself as he put his hand over his missing eye, feeling it throb against his palm. Nowadays, even the thought of Loki brought pain to him. Will he ever be free of the Trickster god?

Swearing in Old Norse, he made his way through the maze of merchandise, but was halted by a sudden chill in the room. Turning, he saw a bright light emerge from the wall. He stiffened, for he knew the light only meant one thing. A second later, his suspicion was confirmed.

"Heimdall." Odin's voice filled the room. "How fares your struggle with the accursed trickster?"

"Not well" Heimdall admitted. He couldn't have lied, anyway; Odin wasn't called 'All-Knowing" for nothing. "He still lives."

"Have I been in error in sending you, Heimdall?" Odin's tone was mild, but Heimdall knew better to be taken by that tone. "I thought you were most eager to avenge the loss of your eye."

"Loki claims he did not steal my eye."

"And you believed him?" Heimdall clenched his hands into tight fists at the hint of amusement and pity in Odin's voice. "He is the trickster, Heimdall. He lies, deceives, and manipulates. I have thought you were more…knowledgeable of his ways."

Heimdall said nothing. The silence lasted for a few seconds until Odin spoke again. "I will be sending one who will aid you."

Heimdall blinked at the announcement. _Please, don't let it be someone like Freyr_, Heimdall thought with dismay. _I can't handle any more Freyrs. I'll go crazy_. "I am honored, but I really don't need anyone's help to kill Loki. Loki will die by _my_ hands alone."

"Do not be selfish, Heimdall," Odin admonished. "The trickster's existence is a threat to us all. We must all join efforts to be rid of him."

Heimdall set his teeth. "As you wish. Who shall you send?"

"You will discover that soon enough. The one who will help you will arrive soon," Odin replied. "For now, there is something you must accomplish."

_So Odin won't tell him who he'll send._ Heimdall skillfully hid a twitch at Odin's evasiveness. Though seething inside, he managed to calmly listen to Odin's plans. What else could he do?

* * *

"Oi, Loki. What are we doing here again" Narugami asked Loki, who was heading towards the shrine. Narugami was annoyed. Loki had dragged him from his part-time job to accompany him back to the falls. Usually, Yamino accompanied Loki in these investigations, but Four-eyes had other things to do. Narugami made a mental note to give Yamino a sound trashing when he saw him again. 

Loki glanced over his shoulder. "I want to check out some things. Mayura said a priest gave her a ring for protection. Then later, the kappa attacked her. I don't believe that is a coincidence."

"That's fine, Loki. But why do I have to accompany you?" Narugami demanded. Then he held up a balled-up mess of twine and other organic materials that gave out a musty smell. "And why do I have to carry this stupid thing? What _is _this, anyway"

"It's a fishnet, Narukami-kun," Loki explained. He watched with veiled amusement as Narugami struggled with it, nearly entangling himself with it. "Please be careful with it" Loki said. "It's very old, and we'll need it later."

"What are we going to do with this? Catch fish? You could buy those stuff in the market, Loki."

Loki gave him one of his patented mysterious smiles that always made Narugami want to beat the crap out of him. "I know, Narukami-kun. But that's not the sort of fish were catching."

_Not the sort of fish_…Narugami's eyes widened. "We're not catching that thing that dragged down Mayura, are we? I thought you've taken care of it."

Loki's eyes narrowed. "I just want to ask it a few questions. Now let's go to the shrine. I need to talk to the priest about Mayura's ring." He didn't have time to examine the ring thoroughly on the day Mayura came to his house, but he did feel the ring give a faint aura of familiar magic, the kind he didn't like.

At the shrine, they were greeted by a kindly black-haired kannushi sweeping the shrine's steps of fallen leaves which Loki thought to be a futile effort since the leaves kept on falling anyway. When Loki asked him about Mayura and the ring, he frowned. "I'm afraid you have the wrong person. I wasn't here at the time you mention, and I vow I have not seen this girl you speak of nor have I given her any ring."

"Then who was here that day?" Loki asked.

The man thought for a moment. "That would be my lazy assistant." He pointed to a red-haired youth scrubbing the floor with a disgruntled expression on his face.

Loki nodded. He bowed at the kannushi. "Thank you for your assistance. Let's go, Narukami-kun."

When they were out of earshot, Narugami asked Loki, "What was that all about?"

"Mayura said the ring was given to her by a _old_ _white-haired_ priest. The one we just talked to was a relatively _young, black-haired_ kannushi" Loki explained. "So who was the person Mayura talked to and received the ring from?"

* * *

Daidouji Mayura was, Heimdall decided as he watched the pink-haired girl stroll through the park as she headed for school, a very weird, troublesome human. He knew the girl had an unusual fondness for mysteries and was very clumsy, but really– 

He's been watching the girl for no more than thirty minutes, but the girl had managed to ram into five people, coo over three black cats, stop over three 'mystery shops', and then nearly get hit by a bicycle for lingering too long in front of a weird symbol in another store. How did the girl survive this long? And how could Loki stand being with a girl like that?

Heimdall never understood much of what Loki did or his tastes. He never understood the Trickster god's fondness for bow ties, or his penchant for silly, often dangerous pranks. He didn't understand Loki's tastes in women, too.

Ah. The women. The Trickster god had been infamous for pranks as much as he was famous for his women. There had been that first wife while he was still in the Land of the Giants (Heimdall heard that wife died after Loki went to Asgard), and then his string of mistresses…from (allegedly) Freya to Angrboda, the giantess who bore his three children. Heimdall's mind shied away from the more…unnatural…unions Loki had. _I will not think of Sleipnir. I will not think of Sleipnir._

Then he remembered Loki's second wife, Sigyn. She had been very beautiful, Sigyn, with her long, fair hair and dark eyes. Always calm…and loyal, Heimdall recalled. She tolerated Loki's affairs very well and stood by her husband's side no matter what. She wasn't very well known in the mortal realm, for she rarely ventured out of her hall, and she didn't seem to have any 'functions'. She was just known as 'Loki's faithful wife'. However, reclusive as she was, many of the gods and even the giants admired her. Even he himself fan–

Heimdall then frowned. Why was he thinking of such things? Shaking his head, he focused at the task at hand, steadying himself in the branch in a tree near Mayura's schoolroom. Mayura was at school now, greeting everyone effusively as she breezed by into her classroom.

Now this girl, Mayura, was far different from Loki's past women. Mayura was pretty, but hardly a raving beauty. As for brains…well…he didn't have to elaborate on that. There was nothing remarkable about her, except perhaps her penchant for getting into trouble.

Nevertheless, Mayura was Loki's main weakness right now. He had proved that repeatedly, from the day in the aviary to the day Hel confronted her father. Loki would do anything for Mayura, he was sure. Heimdall's lips twisted into a smirk. He wondered if Loki knew just how vulnerable he had just made himself when he attached himself to Mayura.

"Heimdall, why are you watching Freyr's Yamato Nadeshiko?"

Startled, Heimdall nearly fell from his branch. He shot Freyr a deadly glare. "Why did you sneak up on me, Freyr?" he demanded. Damn, his heart was still pounding from that scare.

Freyr, dressed in his grand, eye-catching clothes, looked offended. "Freyr didn't sneak up. Heimdall was too busy to notice Freyr." He inched closer to Heimdall, making the branch wobble dangerously. "Why is Heimdall watching Freyr's Yamato Nadeshiko?" His eyes narrowed. "Is Heimdall going to steal her away from Freyr?"

"No, of course not! Now get off my branch or we'll–"

There was a sudden, sickening crack, and the two gods fell to the bushes below in a tangled heap of limbs and branches.

"Heimdall–"

"SHUT UP, FREYR!"

* * *

Mayura's ears perked up. What was that sound? She peered outside then turned to Koutarou. "What was that? I heard something crash outside." 

"Hmm" Koutarou glanced outside, but saw nothing. "Maybe a branch fell. So, how are you feeling after that dip in the pool?" he said, a teasing lilt to his voice. He had laughed his head off when Mayura arrived from the falls, soaked to the skin.

Mayura laughed. "I'm okay, Koutarou-kun. Papa was mad, though, because I got wet."

"How did you fall into the water, anyway? I knew you were clumsy, but not THAT clumsy."

Mayura blushed, and debated whether to tell Koutarou about the creature that pulled her in. Then she shook her head. Koutarou was a good friend of hers, but he'd just probably laugh if she told him what had happened. "Anou…I slipped. I was…um, looking for the treasure."

"Figures. Why do you bother looking for it when there's one right in your face?"

"Eh?" Mayura stared at Koutarou, a confused look on her face. "What do you mean?"

Koutarou smiled. "Me, of course. I'm rich, handsome, and intelligent. A treasure, many girls have said."

Mayura face-faulted. "Anou, Koutarou-kun–" Mayura would have said more, but the door burst open with a loud bang, and a flustered-looking Uzumaki-sensei entered the room, muttering to himself. They immediately took their seats.

"Sorry I'm late, class. I was lost in the road of life." The class rolled their eyes at his excuse. Their teacher was fond of lame excuses. "Anyway, I have several announcements to make. As you know, the Drama Club has been putting up a play of Snow White that will be shown a week from now. Unfortunately, there has been a problem. The lead actress and actor, Snow White and the Prince, will not be able to play. Apparently, they were involved in a vehicular accident when their car hit a fruit stand. This means they need replacements."

The room erupted into conversations. The position of Snow White was much coveted by the girls, probably because it involved a kiss. Besides, lots of people watched the play, which was the school's and the town's highlight activity for autumn.

"So," Uzumaki-sensei said, raising his voice. "To make things fair, the teachers in charge of the production, which means me, Haruno-sensei, and that bast–I mean, Uchiha-sensei, decided that we'll draw lots." He held up a small box. "Form a line and pick up a single piece of paper. If your paper has the initials S.W. or P written on them, you get the parts."

The students stampeded to get in line. Mayura, for most part, took her time. It would be nice to be Snow White, but she had other things to do, like finding out who her mysterious rescuer was. Was the brown-haired man really a god? And if so, why was he helping Mayura? And why, why did he look like Loki-kun?

Mayura was not, as most people would think, dumb. She saw the similarities between the two, and was it really only a coincidence Loki-kun caught a cold?

She knew Loki-kun was strange the day she met him, which was probably the reason why she was so drawn to him. _Loki-kun is such a big, big, mystery,_ she thought as she absently drew out a paper from the lots and opened it, not really seeing what was written on it.

"AHA!" Uzumaki-sensei crowed, startling Mayura out of her thoughts. "Looks like we have our Prince! Koutarou-kun plays the Prince!" He pointed to a pleased-looking Koutarou. The girls in the class screamed wildly at the announcement.

"All right, calm down!" Uzumaki-sensei told them.

"What did you get, Daidouji?" Koutarou asked, walking over to her.

"Eh? I haven't looked at it yet." Mayura glanced at her own paper, her eyes widening when she saw the initial S.W. on it.

* * *

"I know you're there, Andvari. Come out," Loki demanded as he stood on shore. He was no longer in his child form, but in his real one. In his hands, he held the net. Behind him, Narugami held his bokken tightly, anticipating an attack. Loki smiled grimly. He knew of only one dwarf who liked to live under waterfalls and had a greed for gold. And if his guess was right, he'd be talking to that dwarf soon. 

The pool beneath the waterfall was still, and then there was a sudden flicker in the water. Without another thought, Loki threw the net into the water.

Narugami's eyes widened when he saw something struggle in the water where the net fell. "Help me haul out the net" Loki told Narugami. Together, the two of them pulled out the net…which now contained an angrily flopping fish. Narugami stared at the fish as it blurred, and turned into a small, stocky, very hairy man–a dwarf, actually.

"Let me out of this!" Andvari shouted, struggling against the net. "Loki, curse you! Isn't it enough you stole my gold and my ring?"

Loki regarded the dwarf calmly. "I don't have your gold or your ring. Now, tell me, why did you attack the girl? She did you no harm. And what are you doing here in the first place" He tightened his grip on the net. "Don't think you can get out of this easily. The goddess Ran herself made this net, so it's very tough."

The dwarf glared at Loki. "Very well. Odin sent me here. He said I'd find my ring and my gold here. And I did find my dearest Andvaranaut! The girl was wearing Andvaranaut! I did not mean her any harm! I just wanted Andvaranaut back!"

"So you transformed yourself into a kappa and tried to grab it from her."

"Yes! But you stopped me! You and–" His eyes widened when he realized who the young man behind Loki was. "Thor."

Loki narrowed his eyes. So this was one of Odin's ploys. He should have expected that. The one who pretended to be the kannushi must have been Odin. _What are you planning, Odin? And why did you involve Mayura?_ He loosened his hold on the net. "Go back, Andvari. I'll give you back your ring as soon as I can. But I warn you, if you dare ever lay a hand on the girl again, you will answer to me."

"And to me as well," Narugami said in a menacing voice.

Andvari scrambled to get out of the net. He took one look in their eyes and realized how close he was to getting very hurt. "Curse you both!" he shouted before diving into the water again. In a few moments, everything was still once more.

Loki turned to Narugami. "Let's go, Narukami-kun. We have to get that ring from Mayura. The ring brings misfortune to those who wear it other than Andvari."

Unknown to them, a pair of ravens watched them from a tree branch. As they left, so did the birds.

**T.B.C.**

**Free talk, part 2:** Yes! Another lovely, long, long chapter from me:cough:cough:

**Heimdall and Mayura:** And if you noticed, Heimdall thought of Mayura as 'one of Loki's women (in the romantic kind of way)', even though Loki has yet to do any verbal…um…claiming of any kind. XD

**Andvari:** In Norse mythology, he's the owner of the cursed ring. He's a dwarf that can transform into a fish if pursued. He's the owner of the Rhine gold, I believe, the basis for Wagner Ring of the _Nibelungen_…XD Andvaranaut is the name of the ring. It brings bad luck to those who hold it.

**Uzumaki-sensei and his team:** Yes, I brought him back, and a bit more XD. My little tribute to one of my favorite anime, Naruto.

**The quote:** I love that quote. Now…which is Loki…the fool or the wise? XD

**Odin:** I hate that guy. I know in the manga he isn't so bad, but I'm basing this on the anime…so…what the hell.

**Next chapter:** Mayura plays the Princess…and guess what role Heimdall will play? Freya and Reiya make their appearance…and as I've said before…beware of apples! More comedic fun next chapter!


End file.
